Electro-magnetic signaling device for msnes



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. MCE. BULLITT & 0. O. GREENE. ELECTRO MAGNETIC SICNALINC DEVICE ECE MINES,

NC. 380,382. I Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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(No Model.) .2 SheetS--Sheet 2.

L. MGK. BULLITT 8v O. C. GREENE. ELEGIEo MAGNETIC SIGNILING DEVICE EOE MINES.

No. 380,382. `Patented Apr. 8, 1888.

@j I I j lhvrrnn 'rares PATENT ericao LOGAN MCKNIGIIT BULLIT'I AND OSCAR CURTIS GREENE, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

ELECTRO-MAGNE'HC SIGNALING DEVICE FOR NNNES.

SPECIFXCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,382, dated April 3, 1838.

Application filed April 2S, 1587. Selial No. 236,405. (No model.)

To @Z5 whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOGAN MoKNlGrrr BULLrr-r and Osonn Gnarls GREENE, citizens of the United States, residing in St. Paul, in t-he county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented an Improved Electro Magnetic Signaling Device for Mines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

The special object ofour invention is to signal from different places in mines to the engincer who controls the movements of cars drawn in and from the mines by means of ropes or cables driven by an engine located at or near the entrance of the mine, so that he may know when to stop or start the cars and in which direction to move them. Since there are usually or frequently various chambers or parts of mines leading in different directions and often to considerable distances,it becomes a matter of importance to have a means of signaling both reliable and inexpensive. We have adapted an electro-magnetic signaling device to this purpose, and thereby have produced an apparatus not only cheap and reliable,but simple and easily operated by the least intelligent persons. While we have thus adapted this invention to this special use, we do not intend to limit the invention thereto, but propose to employ it anywhere where it may be desirable.

Ourimproved signaling device is constructed as follows:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagram representing the general arrangement of the conducting-wires, batteries, and signal bell or sounder according to our invention; Fig. 2, a side view of a post by which the wires are supported, showing a peculiar arrangement of the wires thereon; Fig. 3, a view representing` a means of supporting the wires in tunnels or narrow chambers or passages, so that the circuits may be readily closed and broken therewith; Fig. 4., a side view of a hand-instrument for closing the circuit with the wires; Fig. 5, a view of a modified construction of such a circuit-closing instrument; Fig. (i, a view of another modified construction of the circnitclosing instrument adapted especially to wires placed one over the other; Fig. 7, a view of a circuitelosing in strument provided with a bell or sounder, Fig. 8, a view of such a bell or sounder adapted to be attached to the circuit-closer.

In the drawings, A represents an electromagnetic bell or equivalent sounder actuated by an electric current and placed in a proper position in relation to the engine by which the cars in a mine are moved; B C, respectively positive and negative or incoming and ontgoing current-wires connected with the signalbell, and D the main battery for generating the electric current passing along the wires. For different chambers or branch portions of the mine we employ branch wires b c, respectively extending from the main wires B C at different places, so that from any part of any branch wires the circuit is continuous to the signal bell along either of the main wires. These main wires B C and all their respective branches I) c in pairs are arranged to run substantially parallel with each other, and only a little distance apartsay a few inches-so that by connecting these parallel adjacent wires anywhere along their length by a metallic or electro conducting connector the battery-circuit will be closed and the signal-bell sounded. Thus it will be seen that the signal can be given by any one anywhere along the main or branch wires by simply making Inetallie connection 'between the two parallel wires overhead, or wherever they may be arranged.

"We have shown in Fig. 4 a suitable portable or hand instrument for joining the wires and closing the circuit. It consists of a handle, F, of sufficient length to reach up to the wires, and preferably made of wood or other electro non-conducting material, and it has two metallic arms, f f, branching obliquely upward and outward and connected metallically with each other at the handle. By raising the instrument and bringing the two arms, respectively, into contact with the wires, the circuit will be closed.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction oi' the instrument especially adapted to wires arranged at equal heights. A single metallic IOO arm or rod f is attached to the upper end'of the handle F and held in a right-angled position thereon by two braces, g g.

Fig. 6 'shows a circuit-closer adapted especially to wires arranged one vertically over the other. The handle F has two horizontal arms, h h, projecting from near its upper end at a distance apart as great as 'or greater than the distance between the wires. The outer ends of these arms are connected by a metallic chain, f', suspended loosely from them, the chain being somewhat longer than the distance between the arms, so that it will hang in a catenary curve, as shown. Thus the chain is readily'brought into contact with both wires.

Fig. 7 represents a circuit-closer provided with an electro-magnetic bell or sounder, by which the signals transmitted to the engine are simultaneously given or sounded on the circuit-closer itself, so that the person who sends the signals may know by sound what the signals are and whether these are correct, and also whether the device is working all right or not for sending the signals without failure orl interruption. The handle or staff F has two metallic arms, ff, for making contact with the two wires, the same as the simple circuitcloser has; but these two contact-arms have no direct metallic connection with each other. Instead they are connected by wires z' i, forming part of an electric circuitin which is placed an electromagnet, H, for sounding a bell or other sounder. The magnet and bell or sounder are attached to the staff or handle of the circuit-closer, or so connected therewith as to be portable with it. y

Fig. 8 shows, on a larger scale, a suitable construction of such a bell-sounding device. The electro-magnet H is suitably attached to a plate, I, which has screw-holes j j, for attaching the same to the staff or handle; or the magnet and other parts might be attached directly to the staff or handle, sufliciently enlarged at the proper place to receive those parts. rIhe binding-posts la k serve to connect the wires of t-he circuit-closer arms with the wire l of the electro-magnet itself to complete an electric circuit in connection with the main wires themselves. The armature J ofthe electro-magnet is pivoted at m to the-holder, and it has a bell-tongue or hammer, a, projecting from its endas shown, or otherwise. It has a suitable counter-spring, o, and adjustable stop p to limit the extent of its movement. The

bell K is secured to the holder in a proper position to receive the blows of the hammer n. The action of the device when the circuit is closed is as usual.

In Fig. 2 we show a post, L, with two wiresupporting arms, 7' i', projecting obliquely outward from the postone over the other, so that the two wires are supported, respectively, thereon, one vertically over the other.

In Fig. 3 we show a means of suspending the wires in tunnels or narrow passages. Here we mount cross-beams M in horizontal positions, supporting their ends in cavities s s, cut or dug in the wallsor sides of the tunnel or passage. t t are suspended to support the wires, as shown, or otherwise.

Although the main battery D may be made sufficiently powerful to supply the longest circuit that may be made on all the wires, yet we prefer to make it only of sufficientpower to supply aportion of the main wires B C of the circuit, and place one or more additional or re-enforcing cups, d cl, respectively, in the branch-wire extension-circuits, as represented in Fig. l. Thus, since these branch batterycups are ordinarily in open circuit, when there is little or no exhaustion they last a long time, whereas, since the main battery has its circuit closed so frequently, its cups all become much more quickly exhausted.

We claim as our inventionl. The combination of the main battery, the main-circuit wires extending near each other along the line, the branch-circuit wires attached, respectively, to the main-circuit wires, and extending near each other in pairs along their lengths, and additional battery-cells placed, respectively, along the branchvcircuit wires, substantially as herein specilied.

2. In combination with two circuit-wires extending near each other in open circuit and branch-circuit wires attached to the respective main-circuit wires in pairs and near each other, a hand lcircuit-closer constructed sub stantially as described, and for the purpose herein specified.

In testimony whereof wehave hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOGAN MCKNIGHT BULLITT. OSCAR CURTIS GREENE.

Witnesses:

H. C. LYTLE, JNO. C. BULLI'r'r.

From these cross-beams insulators VIOO 

